The invention relates to a device or latching arrangement for securing a housing part detachably and without screws to a housing of an electrical apparatus, and particularly to such a housing part which closes the housing. The part is engageable with a side wall of the housing and is latched to the housing by means of at least two latching noses, near a wall opposite the housing side wall. The housing is provided with latching springs which engage behind the latching noses of the detachable housing part, at at least two locations.
In order to simplify the assembly of electrical apparatuses, the customary screw connections are being replaced more and more by what is referred to as snap connections. From German Gebrauchsmuster No. 73 21 287 it is known to mount the rear wall of a radio or television apparatus by means of such a snap technique. For this purpose the rear wall engages with the housing along an edge of a side wall, about which it is tilted, and is snapped onto the housing with the edge of an opposite side wall. The snap connection comprises a latching spring and a latching nose on the rear wall. As soon as the latching spring has snapped behind the latching nose, the rear wall can no longer be tilted away or swung down. In accordance with a statutory regulation, unlatching should be effected only by means of a tool, for example a screw-driver, to prize the latching means apart.
If a plastic housing should be manufactured economically, this means that a cheap plastic, for example polystyrol, has to be used. However, polystyrol has the disadvantage that it suffers from fatigue and ageing. Since the latching spring is constantly under pretension, the tensioning or latching force diminishes as a result of ageing. Therefore, when a cheap plastic is used, the known construction is not sufficiently reliable because its latching force deteriorates in the long run.
In general, electric apparatus such as video recorders are provided with rubber feet for resiliently supporting these apparatuses relative to the surface on which they are placed. These rubber feet are drawn into recesses by means of a tool. In accordance with another fastening method described in German Gebrauchsmuster No. 19 71 090 the rubber foot is provided with an injection-molded plastic part, which in its turn is snapped into the housing.